Wow, doesn't it already seem so passé to see "2014" in a blog title? I think I've been mentally preparing for 2015 for awhile now. It seems like it's going to be a good one, and it already feels so natural to me (to say, to write). Plus, the first week has been great, so that's a good sign. Bring it on!

I allowed myself a complete and utter PAUSE over the holidays. It felt really good. I literally forgot about work and responsibilities, and even about blogging. I'll post about some of my goals for the year soon, but one of my goals is to relax about blogging. As you all know I don't blog very often or consistently, and I'm okay with that. I want to keep being okay with that and not letting guilt creep in whenever I miss a week (or 3!). For me this space isn't about gaining followers or trying to impart wisdom on the world or trying to make a buck. For me it's a creative outlet, a small community of followers and friends, and an inspiration to keep learning and growing. None of that should require stress or pressure on myself. So I have no idea what this blog will look like in 2015 - but I know it will be very me. Thanks for continuing to follow along :). 

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For 2013 I did a little recap of the year via lists, and I decided 2014 was great enough that I should do it again. 

2014 Top 5:

Getaways:

1. Lost Coast
2. Kauai (part one, two, and three)
3. Bodega Bay
4. Truckee
5. Cape Cod

Songs:

1. From Eden by Hozier
2. Two Pears Dancing by The Moxie Strings
3. Reflections by MisterWives
4. Chandelier by Sia
5. Turn It Around by Lucius

Shows:

1. The Lone Bellow / Don Quixote's, Felton
2. First Aid Kit / Fox Theatre, Oakland
3. Anders Osborne / Terrapin Crossroads, San Rafael
4. Southern Soul Assembly
5. Tiny ukulele performance in Kauai 

Buys:

1. Macbook Pro!
2. Ski Pass (to my Tahoe mountains!)
3. Birchbox subscription
4. Brown Sutro booties (no longer available)
5. Urban Smith "avventura" necklace (a gift)
+Everlane cashmere sweater (also a gift!)

Eats:

1. Margs, Truckee
2. Boonfly Cafe, Sonoma
3. Hanalei Taro and Juice Co., Hanalei
4. Pine State Biscuits, Portland
5. Broder Cafe, Portland
+Pok Pok, Portland
+Piccino, San Francisco

Books:

1. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
2. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
3. Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham
4. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
5. #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso 

Movies/Shows:

1. Wild
2. Dexter
3. The Walking Dead
4. Interstellar
5. The Grand Budapest Hotel

Phew! It was hard to pick. And now it's time for a new year of favorites - bring it on '15!

Happy New Year To You

Don't you just love fresh starts?? I do. And I love goals and beginnings. And I love sparkles and champagne. So naturally, I'm a sucker for New Years.

It's exactly a week into 2014. Mine started with teeny tiny firework show viewed from a peak 11 miles away. Then with a bit of a cold, a lot of nice relaxation, and then a great start back at work. Now I'm ready to dive in.

I have a lot of goals for this year. Did you know that if you write down your goals, you have a much higher chance of achieving them? So here we go, I'm writing them down, everything from the vague to the dreamy to the weirdly specific.

This year I'm going to do a lot of yoga, eat an almost-paleo diet (I'll post on that soon), and hike and run more than last year. I'm going to get to bed earlier and wake up earlier. Last year was the year of exploring our new home, this year we'll go a bit further - I'm going to travel to Hawaii or Alaska, or maybe even both. I'm going to keep developing my mindfulness practice. I'm going to absolutely rock it at work. I'm going to be purposeful in everything that I do. I'm going to get my darn wisdom teeth out once and for all (it's been on my to-do list since 2008). I'm going to print more photos and put them up around the house. I'm going to make sure Jimmy knows how much he's loved and appreciated every day. I'm going to do more hike-in camping, and improve my photography skills and keep learning Italian. And I'm going to keep writing about it here, because I love it.

It's going to be a good a year, right? I hope yours is starting off with a bang!